Oil can display stand



1951 H. A. MERTZ ET AL 2,537,636

O IL CAN DISPLAY STAND Filed Feb. 10. 1949 INVENTORS HOW/92D ALOA/ZO MEETZ BY 203E121 k/ILLABD E mviwM' ATTOBA/EXS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES Ponca City, Okla.,fassignors to Continental'Oil Company, Ponca City, Okla, a corporation of Delaware Application February 10, 1949., Serial No. 753-528 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates as indicated to an oil can display stand and more particularlyto the type of stand which is of utility in gasoline service stations, garages, and the like, for storing and displaying cans such as the sealed metals cans of about one-quart capacity in which refined mineral lubricating oil is packaged and sold.

It is a principal object of our invention to provide a structure of the character described which will securely hold a plurality of such cans in such a fashion that a major portion of the lateral surfaces of each of such cans is exposed to the end that the manufacturers name pn the plane substantially indicated by the line Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the stand illustrated in the previous 1 figures showing specifically the arrangement and other important information usually printed 11 or otherwise applied to the sides of the cans may be in full view.

It is a further and more particular object of the invention to provide a stand which so engages the cans to be displayed that when they are in position there is no possibility of their becoming accidentally dislodged even when the stand is moved about from place to place, while at the same time permitting the cans to be inserted into and removed from the stand with a minimum of efiort.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a stand of the character described in which the base is of such size and form and the cans held in the stand with sufiicient security so that by slightly tipping the vertical axis of the stand until the weight of the stand is carried by the edge of the base, the stand may be rolled about from place to place without the cans becoming dislodged and without the necessity of lifting the stand bodily from the floor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a stand of the character described in which there is supported in the upper end thereof a removable container adapted to receive the removable spout which is commonly employed with cans of this character for the dual purpose of piercing the end of the can and to provide a pouring spout for the contents thereof.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention; these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a stand C011; structed in accordance with the principles of our invention;

2 is a perspective view of the top portion therein of the radially inwardly extending fingers adapted to engage the upper ends of the cans and hold them securely in place;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the stand as illustrated in the previous figures; and

Fig. 6. is a fragmentary sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5 taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 6'6.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing and more especially to Fig. 1, the stand here illustrated as embodying one form of our invention comprises a circular base member l which supports a plurality of vertically extending posts generally indicated at 2, there being six of such posts in the form illustrated in the drawing. TWo of these posts, i. e. one pair which are diametrically arranged are joined at their upper ends by means of an arcuate portion 3 which serves as a handle for the stand and a support for an emblem generally indicated at 4- which may carry the trade-mark or similar insignia of the manufacturer of the product to be displayed by the stand. 7

The posts 2 are arranged in equally spaced relation with their vertical axis substantially parallel and lying on a common circle. The chord-a1 distance between the posts 2 is preferably such that it is slightly less than the diam eter of the cans to be supported by the stand.

Secured to the posts are a plurality of cylindrical bandsgenerally indicated at 5, 6, I, and 8, respectively. These cylindrical bands have a diameter which is substantially equal to that of the common circle which includes the verti cal axes of the posts 2, as aforesaid. The bands 5-8 inclusive may be conveniently secured to the posts by providing axially extending slots in the Walls of the latter through which the bands may be extended or, if desired, they may be Welded or otherwise secured to either the inner or outer surfaces of the posts, depending upon which mode of manufacture is best suited for a particular, construction. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing the posts are slotted to receive the bands which are split before assembly and which after insertion through the slots may be either welded or otherwise secured into a continuous annulus or by having the seam of the band occur within a post, a

securing together of the ends of the bands is not necessary.

The upper edge of each of the bands 5-! inclusive is provided with notches generally indicated at 9 adjacent the posts 2, the size and depth of such notches being such as to accommodate the axially extending flange which usually occurs at the bottoms of oil cans of the metal variety.

Attached to the inner periphery of each of the bands 6, i, and 8 adjacent the lower edges thereof are a plurality of fingers H), as most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and a. One finger is attached to each band at about the midpoint between each of the posts 2, such attachment being by way of spot-welding or otherwise and with the inwardly extending end ll of the finger axially resilient and adapted. terminally to engage the inner surface of the marginal flange on the upper ends of the cans.

The uppermost band 8 is provided with a cover i2 which in the form illustrated in the drawing is unitary with the flange 8 and centrally provided' with a depression generally indicated at 13 in Fig. 6, which depression is provided with. an opening adapted to receive a cylindrical container generally indicated at M, the latter havin a marginally extending flange #5 at one end thereof with a diameter greater than the opening in the depression 13 so that the can id is removably supported in such opening. A lid such as it having a projection H at one end extending through a slot in the cover I?! serves to re movably cover the container M. After the projection E7 of the lid 36 is projected through the slot in the cover 12 such end may be slit and de formed laterally, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, in order to prevent the lid from becoming separated from the cover.

- The diameter of the circular base i is preferably substantially equal to that of the circle defined by the outermost points on each of the cans displayed by the case so that, as previously indicated, the display case loaded with cans may be tipped slightly so as to place the weight thereof on the margin of the base I whereby the case may then be rolled from place to place without being lifted from the floor.

The cans to be displayed are inserted in the case by moving them laterally into the case between adjacent posts until the marginal flanges on the bottom thereof fall into the notches 8. In this position the inner end of the fingers i will engage the flanges on the tops of the cans and hold the cans securely in position. In order to remove the cans from the case they need merely be raised axially for a distance sufficient to permit the lower flanges to clear the notches 9 whereupon they may be moved radially outwardly by a slight tipping movement, i. e. with the bottom of the can preceding the top of the can in its outward movement until the finger i i disengages the marginal flange on the top of the can. It will thus be seen that the distance between adjacent bands such-"as and 6 should be just slightly greater than the over-all length of the cans including their flanges.

The entire device may be made of any suitable material such as sheet metal.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or theequivalent of such, be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and dis tinctly claim as our invention:

1. A display stand for a plurality of cylindrical cans of the type having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, comprising in combination a plurality of vertically extending substantially parallel post members; a plurality of cylindrical members secured to said posts in axially spaced relation by distances slightly greater than the height of the cans to be displayed; and radially inwardly extending axially resilient fingers, secured at the lower edge of each of said cylindrical members, excepting that of the bottom cylindrical member, at points about midway between said posts and adapted terminally to engage the upstanding flange on the top of the cans to be displayed.

2. A display stand for a plurality of cylindrical cans of the type having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, comprising in combination a plurality of .vertically extending substantially parallel post members; a plurality of cylindrical members secured to said posts in axially spaced relation by distances slightly greater than the height of the cans to be displayed, the upper surfaces of all but the top cylindrical member notched adjacent said posts to receive the marginal flanges on the bottoms of the cans to be displayed; and radially inwardly extending axially resilient fingers secured at the lower edge of each of said cylindrical members, excepting that of thebottom cylindrical member, at points about midway between said posts and adapted terminally to engage the upstanding flange on the tops of the cans to be displayed.

3. A display stand for a plurality of cylindrical cans of the type having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, comprising in combination a plurality of vertically extending,'substantially parallel post :members so arranged that their vertical axes are equally spaced on a common circle with the chordal distance between adjacent post members slightly less than the diameters of the cans to be supported and displayed; a plurality of cylindrical members secured to said posts in axially spaced relation by distances slightly greater than the height of the cans to be displayed, the upper surfaces of all but the top cylindrical member notched adjacent said posts to receive the marginal flanges on the bottoms of the cans to be displayed; and radially inwardly extending axially resilient fingers secured at the lower edge of each of said cylindrical members, excepting that of the bottom cylindrical member, at points about midway etween said posts and adapted terminally to engage the upstanding flange on the tops of the cans to be displayed.

4. A display stand for a plurality of cylindrical cans of the type having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, comprising in combination a plurality of vertically extending substantially parallel post members so arranged that their vertical axes are equally spaced on a common circle with the chordal distance between adjacent post members slightly less than the diameters of the cans to be supported and displayed; a plurality of cylindrical members secured to said posts in axially spaced relationby distances slightly greater than the height of the cans to be displayed, the upper surfaces of all but the top cylindrical member notched adjacent said posts to receive the marginal flanges on the bottoms of the cans to be displayed; radially inwardly extending axially resilient fingers secured at the lower edge of each of said cylindrical members, excepting that of the bottom cylindrical member, at points about midway between said posts and adapted terminally to engage the upstanding flange on the tops of the cans to be displayed; and a base member supporting the aforesaid assembly in a substantially vertical position, the diameter of such base being substantially equal to that of the circle defined by the outermost point on each of the cans in the stand when in use.

5. A display stand for a plurality of cylindrical cans of the type having axially extending peripheral flanges at opposite ends, comprising in combination a plurality of vertically extending substantially parallel post members so arranged that their vertical axes are equally spaced on a common circle with the chordal distance between adjacent post members slightly less than the diameters of the cans to be supported and displayed; a plurality of cylindrical members having a diameter substantially equal to that of said common circle, secured to said posts in axially spaced'relation by distances slightly greater than the height of the cans to be displayed, the upper surfaces of all but the top cylindrical member notched adjacent said posts to receive the marginal flanges on the bottoms of the cans to be displayed; radially inwardly extending axially resilient fingers secured at the lower edge of each of said cylindrical members, excepting that of the bottom cylindrical member, at points about midway between said posts and adapted terminally to engage the upstanding flange on the tops of the cans to be displayed; and a base member supporting the aforesaid assembly in a substantially vertical position.

6. A dis lay stand for a plurality of cylindrical cans of the type having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, comprising in combination a plurality of vertically extending substantially parallel post members so arranged that their vertical axes are equally spaced on a common circle with the chordal distance between adjacent post members slightly less than the diameters of the cans to be supported and displayed; a plurality of cylindrical members having a diameter substantially equal to that of said common circle, secured to said posts in axially resilient fingers secured at the lower edge of each of said cylindrical members, excepting that of the bottom cylindrical member, at points about midway between said posts and adapted terminally to engage the upstanding flange on the tops of the cans to be displayed; means associated with the upper of said cylindrical members for removably supporting centrally thereof a cylindrical container having a radially extending marginal flange at one end thereof; and a base member supporting the aforesaid assembly in a substantially vertical position.

7. A display stand for a plurality of vertically spaced series of cans having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, each such series comprising a plurality of such cans arly spaced relation by distances slightly greater than the height of the cans to be displayed, the upper surfaces of all but the top cylindrical member notched adjacent said posts to receive the marginal flanges on the bottoms of the cans to be displayed; radially inwardly extending axial- 8. A display stand for a plurality of vertically spaced series of cans having axially projecting peripheral flanges at opposite ends, each of such series comprising a plurality of such cans arranged with their axes substantially vertically and on a common circle, comprising a frame provided with a plurality of axially spaced substantially circular series of supports notched to receive the flanges on the lower ends of the cans resting thereon, and said frame provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending flexible fingers arranged substantially centrally over each of the cans of each of such series and adapted to terminally engage the upstanding flanges on the tops of the cans.

HOWARD ALONZO MERTZ.

ROBERT WILLARD HIRD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 301,497 Hoard July 8, 1884 1,439,255 Moreland Dec. 19, 1922 1,646,579 Davis Oct. 25, 1927 2,114,735 Crilly Apr. 19, 1938 2,145,879 Jewett Feb. 7, 1939 

